One thing is for sure, Nigerians love drama, there will never be a shortage of drama especially wherever Nigerians are involved. In the year 2023, even though blatant transgressions like animals stealing public funds were not recorded, we were still left with sufficiently unbelievable and confusing moments. As the backdrop of the year was the general elections, people began the year anticipating the usual chaos that comes with it , while hoping for the best. What they did not expect however, was the new brand of chaos ranging from the ill advised bank policies that still affect us till this day, to the months where the people of Ekiti kept attempting to break the Guinness Book Record for categories that did not even exist. From music and entertainment to culture, food and even fashion, we all saw something … new. In this, we recap some of the more unforgettable moments of 2023 and hope 2024 takes it easy on us all drama wise.
AKA’s Death
South African rapper AKA’s unexpected passing on the 10th of February 2023 left fans in shock and sadness. The artist was shot alongside his friend Chef Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane while walking towards their car from a restaurant. According to a police statement, They were approached by two armed men who walked towards them from across the street and shot them at close range.
AKA, born Kiernan Jarryd Forbes, gained widespread acclaim for hits like “Fela in Versace” and “The World Is Yours,” leaving an indelible mark on the music industry. Hundreds of fans – collectively known as “The Megacy” – turned up at his public memorial in Johannesburg, while others followed online, ensuring he would continue to shine.
As of September 2023, KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi said that police had located the weapon used to kill the rapper and his friend. Mkhwanazi said they had also identified some of the vehicles used during and after the murder, and were discussing positively identifying some suspects with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
The passing brought profound sorrow to the South African and global Music communities.
The Time Tems Wore A Dress That Sparked Debate To The Oscars – MARCH
This year’s Oscar Award ceremony was Tems’ first time attending, not only did she look stunning, she also became the topic of an ensuing debate . Nominated for her contribution to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s track Lift Me Up performed by Rihanna, Tems took this opportunity to stand out. When photos of her on the red carpet hit social media, everyone was in awe of her ethereal essence. However, pictures of Tems seated at the event circulated minutes after and every social media user seemed to have an opinion to share. Her white Lever Couture gown was an elaborate outfit with a structured top half of which rose above her head. The dress was deemed obstructive and rude by some, while others applauded her for literally (and figuratively taking space) at the event. In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Tems shared that the dress was her way to celebrate her work, friends and country.
Seun Kuti vs NPF- MAY
On a quiet Saturday afternoon in May 2023, some interesting videos surfaced online showing Seun Kuti, the 40-year-old son of Afrobeat Legend Fela Kuti, engaged in an altercation with a police officer on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos. In the 12-second viral video, Seun Kuti was seen shoving a policeman beside a police van and subsequently slapping him while yelling, “You dey craze, you dey mad?” at him. The incident triggered outrage on social and traditional media e, leading to calls for the arrest of the renowned musician.
Responding to the situation, the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, issued an order for Mr Kuti’s arrest and detention on Sunday. Taking the initiative, Seun Kuti presented himself at the Lagos state police command headquarters on Monday, accompanied by a lawyer and a family representative. He was subsequently arraigned before the Lagos State magistrate’s court and remanded at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Panti, Yaba, starting from May 15, 2023.
Seun Kuti was granted bail on Tuesday, May 23, 2023. It was reported that he apologized to the police officer involved and provided him with 12,000 naira to repair his damaged car.
The 2023 Guinness World Records Craze- JUNE
In May 2023, Nigerian Chef and Restaurateur, Hilda Baci made a successful attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon, previously held by Lata Tondon. Over four days, from May 11,2023 to May 16, 2023, Baci prepared over 200 meals, served to about 4000 people who came to show support during her attempt. Guinness World Records eventually confirmed her attempt and declared her the new record holder, with an official time of 93 hours, 11 minutes.
Shortly after her Cook-A-Thon, many Nigerians started to attempt breaking other Guinness World records. Damilola Adeparusi, aka Chef Dammy is arguably the most popular of these attempts, as hers came only shortly after Baci’s, before Guinness World Records officially recognised Baci’s attempt.
Chef Dammy’s 120-hour-attempt started on Thursday, May 11, 2023 and ended on Monday, May 15, 2023. Although her attempt was never recognised by GWR, Chef Dammy’s controversial attempt and the sequence of events following it, will be remembered for a while.
While many Nigerians finally retired the Cook-A-Thon attempts, many others were determined to create and break records, regardless of how comical the idea seemed.
A Nigerian Masseuse, Joyce Ijeoma embarked on a 72-hour body massage marathon, in a bid to break the record for the longest massage ever. Unfortunately, after hitting 50-hours, she collapsed but still was able to break the previous record of 25-hours and 4 minutes.
In July, a group of Ekiti State indigenes called Sugartee made a futile attempt to run a 3-day Kissing Marathon that caught the attention of the state government and was shut down prematurely. The state government, released in a statement that the idea was not only unhealthy, and immoral but also capable of reducing the state’s good image.
The most recent attempt to break a GWR was last month, from a young undergraduate student who attempted a 50-hour handwashing marathon. Eventually, she met her target and added an extra 8 hours to the initial 50, but is yet to be recognised by Guinness World Records for her attempt.
Drama In Big Brother’s House- July
This year, MultiChoice brought back one of the most watched reality shows in Africa, to our screens and it was met with so much anticipation and high expectations. The eighth season of the Big Brother Naija Show—All Stars edition became a major highlight of the year. Bringing back about 24 original housemates, as housemates and houseguests, for seventy-one days of drama, conflicts, chaos and entertainment.
One major highlight was the altercation between Ilebaye, the eventual winner of the show and Double Wahala’s Ceec. This heated exchange earned Ilebaye double strikes, and Ceec a strike, and etched her presence in the minds of the audience, laying the foundation for her eventual win.
Pepper Dem’s Seyi Awolowo also had significant press this season for the multiple misogynistic remarks he made about the female housemates and women, in general. This sparked many conversations online that eventually prompted Big Brother to address him in the house.
It’ll be impossible to discuss this season of the show without mentioning the conspiracy between male housemates against their female counterparts, which eventually led to the incident where Ike destroyed Ilebaye’s clothes. Playing into the tested and trusted/audience’s favorite underdog trope, the Level Up housemate Ilebaye, emerged the winner of the season.
When Burna Boy Said Afrobeats Has No Substance – AUGUST
Just as the self proclaimed African Giant (albeit now proclaimed by fans worldwide) is popular for his incredible talent and performing skills, the artist is also renowned for the quality of drama and controversies tied to his name. If rumors of violence are only still mostly speculated, there is still the certainty of controversies begun by the artist himself due to his arrogance and bloated sense of importance. In all the drama that surrounded the artist this year, the one that incensed the music industry as a whole was his comment he made about Afrobeats lacking in substance in an interview with Zain Lowe, ahead of the release of Burna Boy’s 7th studio album I Told Them. As expected, opinions were split on the issue.Expectedly, some stakeholders as well as music enthusiasts felt disrespected , while some others agreed with the artist. The former expressed that given the growth the industry has experienced in the last couple of years, such assessment was grossly inaccurate. They also pointed out the potential harm such statements from a popular artist could cause Afrobeats’ current global domination run. . Although believed to be a PR stunt to drive up attention in time for his album release, it ended up setting the artist up for extra scrutiny to see if his own album passed the “substance” mark.
Super Falcons vs NFF: Salary and Match Bonus Fiasco- AUGUST
Ahead of the Super Falcons’ Women’s World Cup match against Canada, Coach Randy Waldrum openly accused the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) of withholding his salary and criticized the lack of transparency in the allocation of FIFA funds. This revelation led to a public uproar, the NFF spokesperson responded by labeling Waldrum as the worst coach for the Super Falcons. Despite off-field controversies, the team performed well in the tournament, reaching the Quarterfinals but facing elimination against England. During this period, another dispute arose, with players demanding their match bonuses. The standoff gained support from figures like Ian Wright and FIFPRO, leading to public pressure with a strong statement from FIFPRO saying.
The team expressed great frustration at the necessity of pursuing payments from the Nigeria Football Federation both before and during the tournament. FIFPRO stated that the situation is deemed regrettable as players find themselves compelled to challenge their own federation at a crucial juncture in their careers. And they stated their commitment to collaborating with the players to guarantee the acknowledgment of their contractual rights and the resolution of outstanding payments.
Eventually, the NFF announced the payment of bonuses after FIFA disbursed fees directly to the players’ accounts, bypassing the federation for the first time as an association. After all was said and done, it was a classic case of Wahala no dey finish for Naija
Drama Surrounding Mohbad’s Death – SEPTEMBER
The world of Afrobeats was thrown into shock when popular ex-Marlian signee and artiste Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, was announced dead at age 27 on 12 September 2023. But it was the manner in which his death was handled that drew suspicion. At first, the cause of his death was shrouded in controversy, and his body was hurriedly buried a day after.
Mohbad’s death led to a public outrage that was unanticipated, as the #JusticeForMohbad campaign gained ground on and off social media. Peaceful protests were staged across Nigerian cities, most especially in Lagos.. It was revealed that the singer had a fallout with his former boss, Naira Marley, whose record label he had left. Three months before his death, the singer had addressed a petition to the police in which he alleged a major threat to his life by Naira Marley. Rumours also had it that Lagos-based socialite and Naira Marley’s associate, Sam Larry, was linked involved in the mistreatment and psychological torture of Mohbad.
The police began an inquiry into the death of Mohbad, and his corpse was exhumed for autopsy. With the investigations still ongoing, it was discovered that a certain unlicensed nurse administered a Tetanus vaccine to the singer for an ear infection shortly before his unresponsive body was rushed down to a medical facility. Both Naira Marley and Sam Larry, who were alleged to have been involved in his death, were initially arrested but later released. The police also claimed that 26 people, including family members of the artist, were questioned in connection to his death.
The ripple effect of Mohbad’s death lingers as many fans of the slain singer and other concerned Nigerians have taken to boycotting Naira Marley’s music in what seems like a loosely coordinated mass consensus.
Oladips “Death” and Resurrection – NOVEMBER
If you thought that the last you’d hear of resurrection is that of Jesus Christ, you’re wrong. Nigerian musician Oladipupo Olabode Oladimeji died and ‘resurrected’ on 11 Nov, 2023. His management announced that he had passed unto glory in a statement shared on Nov 15 a day before the release of his album, SUPERHERO ÀDÚGBÒ (The Memoir), which was initially slated to launch on Thursday, November 16,
“We are saddened to inform the general public that Oladipupo Olabode Oladimeji aka OLADIPS has passed away on Nov. 14 Tuesday evening at exactly 10:14 p.m. We are still in shock as we speak,” the statement read.
“For over two years he has kept his battles within himself, his body is now with his family, and funeral services will be announced as soon as it is concluded! The family asked that we respect their privacy in this trying time. May God give us all the fortitude to bear this great loss.”
Oladips rose to prominence in 2015 after taking first place in the online rap competition The King is Here, which was facilitated by D’Banj, a Nigerian rapper.
However, two weeks after the news of his passing made rounds, Oladips ‘resurrected,’ posting a video of himself vibing to his album SUPERHERO ÀDÚGBÒ on his page, with the caption, “Proof of life”, a contradiction to the now-deleted obituary post that was previously posted on his page.
Political Drama Takes Centre Stage In Rivers, Edo States- DECEMBER
Political fallouts between a successor and his predecessor are commonplace in Nigeria. These fallouts arise from the desire of the involved parties to control the state’s political structure and machinery. This year was rife with political battles, however, the fallouts in Rivers State and Edo State came with the messiest drama. Not long after Sim Fubara took over the mantle of leadership in Rivers State, a rift that has now degenerated into a full-blown political drama has ensued with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike. The governor had moved to control the Rivers State PDP, but Nyesom Wike, the current minister of the FCT would have none of that. This resulted in an impeachment move against the governor, however, playing political chess to block Wike’s alleged move, the Rivers State Assembly suspended House of Assembly members loyal to Wike, among them is the speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly. This caught the attention of President Tinubu who moved to reconcile them, and the demolishing of the Rivers State House of Assembly in a bid to stop his planned impeachment has heightened the tension in the state political arena.
The political situation in Rivers State is not so different from Edo State’s. In Edo State, the faceoff is between two former best friends, Governor Obaseki and his deputy. The first cracks in Obaseki and Shaibu’s friendship appeared over who succeeded the governor in the 2024 gubernatorial elections. Obaseki had sensed that his deputy had the ambition to succeed him as governor, however, the deputy governor was not his choice of candidate. In a move to stop Shaibu’s ambition, the Edo State House of Assembly tried to impeach him, but Shaibu backed by a court ruling prevented his removal from office. Their fallout has further deteriorated, with the governor relocating the deputy governor’s office from the government house. In his official declaration of his ambition to run for the Edo state gubernatorial seat, Shaibu stated that he was not afraid of everyone; taking a swipe at his principal and his anointed candidate; Asue Ighodalo.